The folk ensemble Laiksne has released a new compact disc called Putra. It is the group’s fourth album.

The recording includes rarely heard work songs and tunes performed during social gatherings. The songs are from around Latvia, while one (“Lai iedzeram!”) is from a Latvian colony in Siberia.

Laiksne consists of Lauma Garkalne on voice and violin; Dina Liepa on voice, kokles, violin, mandolin and reed-pipe; Vineta Romāne on voice, mouth harp and comb; Aija Biezaite on voice, mouth harp and accordeon; Baiba Indrēvica on voice, kokles and accordeon; and Kaspars Indrēvics on voice, drums and percussion.

Also appearing on the album are Gatis Gaujenieks on voice, bass, ģīga, mandolin, domra (a Russian string instrument) and mouth harp, as well as Matīss Biezatis on voice.

Tracks on the compact disc include:

1. Aleksandrs
2. Putra
3. Oi, Dīveņi
4. Alutiņ, bāleliņ
5. Lai iedzeram!
6. Šiškin miškin
7. Mēness spīd aiz pirts
8. Dzāruojs puika
9. Jauna meita
10. Man tīšām karā juoīt
11. Kupla līpa
12. Tolka
13. Vokars īt
14. Pār upīti
15. Kā mēs putru vārījām

The last track, “Kā mēs putru vārījām,” is just a series of outtakes from the recording session and really was not necessary.

The album was released by the cultural management center Lauska. Previous Laiksne albums include Kyukoja dzegyuze (2001), Jānu nakti zelta rasa (2002) and Es jauna būdama (2003).

For more on Laiksne, visit the ensemble’s website, www.laiksne.lv.

Thanks to the Internet and Latvian State Television, viewers abroad can follow the 10th Latvian Youth Song and Dance Celebration in Rīga, which began July 6.

The festival, featuring more than 30,000 children and youths from around the country, runs until July 11.

LTV 1, the main channel of state television, is carrying plenty of programming on its terrestrial network. The station also is providing live streams of festival music and dance concerts.

On its website, LTV provides a detailed schedule, so viewers can plan when to watch the Web stream (which requires Flash).

For more on the festival, visit the official website, www.dziedundejo.lv or the festival’s Facebook page.

The debut recording by a still relatively unknown threesome of well-known musical artists, Trio Šmite Kārkle Cinkuss, has been released by Rīga-based Upe tuviem un tāliem.

The trio consists of singer Zane Šmite, who has at times performed with post-folklore group Iļģi; choir director Ivars Cinkuss; and Kristīne Kārkle Puriņa, a folk singer and violinist most often associated with her family’s ensemble, Ceiruleits.

The compact disc, Latviešu tautasdziesmas, includes a capella performances of traditional Latvian folksongs.

Trio Šmite Kārkle Cinkuss has performed several times in Latvia and also twice took the stage during the folkBaltica festival in Flensburg, Germany, which this year featured the music of Latvia.

On the trio’s YouTube channel, several videos of live performances are available, including “Es gūlu” and “Tumša nakts”.

Upe tuviem and tāliem also has announced that it has re-released Alus dziesmas, a recording of beer-inspired folk songs featuring various ensembles. The album was first released in 2001 as part of recording company Upe’s series Latviešu tautas mūzikas kolekcija.